And, now having met him I know that he’ll always “Find A Way” to live in his own truth, and that makes me a fan of his journey.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Kenny while I was working on the staged play, Loving Him is Killing Me. He blew me and the crowd away night after night singing “For You”. He was from the beginning, very polite, approachable and reasonable, but never appeared passive (a word Kenny said has been incorrectly used to describe him).

On this authentic journey, I’ve become a bit obsessed with people who seem to be living authentically. Having run into Kenny on the road many times and observed his interactions with people, both famous and non, I wanted to find out more. So, we sat down for, what turned out to a lengthy, Skype conversation about everything.

I believe everyone has a word that fits who they are and from what I now know, I believe Kenny’s word to be BALANCE. It’s what he seems to strive for. Whether it be in his friendships, romantic relationships or life as an entertainer, Kenny likes to have balance.

Outside of singing and being married to Chante Moore, I’m not sure I knew much about Mr. Lattimore. On the surface, I would have said he seems pleasant, nice and sexy. But, I quickly learned that there is much more to this balladeer. For instance, he is way more purposeful about his music than one would think. Many singers will tell you that they love to make people feel good through music as their main reason for singing; however, Kenny’s mission is to “speak to the hearts of women and the minds of men”. He wants to give them a better way to find balance, express their emotions and to be real with one another, as well as themselves. That’s a tall order, but one Kenny says he is willing to fill through his life and music. He believes his faith in God and willingness to live authentically will assist him in this mission.

Notable personalities, like the rest of us, go through trials and tribulations, good times and bad, peaks and valleys, and the like. I can’t say that I’ll ever understand why we gawk, gossip and grapple with the life journeys of people we don’t know, when we need only to look at our own lives which are full of challenges and issues that deserve our attention. Entertainers chose a job, which happens to put them in front of the masses. However, that does not exempt them from any of life’s circumstances. Being an entertainer often comes with the sacrifice of personal space and privacy. Somewhere in my mind, that means that we should give them a little more understanding and a little less judgment. Be clear that I’m not suggesting we condone or agree with their behavior or decisions, only that we look first at our own struggles.

Kenny is going through a divorce from singer Chante Moore. It’s simply a fact that does not really deserve much more attention or explanation. The people who should know the details, do. I’ll leave that there. Now onto the good stuff.

Like many of us, Kenny Lattimore, has been through a few transitions in his life. His most recent caused him to take a hard look at why he sings and what he believes about the reason for his journey. His answer, “to speak to the hearts of women and to the minds of men.” He wants to use his artistic talent and his life’s lessons to encourage people to live a balanced and authentic life. That includes letting go of other people’s expectations of you. Something Kenny understands all to well.

He confesses that he’s been called everything from passive, to having no flavor, to gay. All labels he denies without any aggression. “I know who I am”, says Kenny. “And I don’t need anyone to help me figure that out. Just because I don’t raise my voice or express my emotions in a way that is comfortable for others, doesn’t make those things true”, he goes on to say. During our discussion, he remembers an old girlfriend who used to laugh out loud when he would say “I’m so angry” without raising his voice or pounding on a table. When he asked her why she was laughing, she said that she was tickled because he expressed his anger differently than anyone else she knew.

While Kenny may not be confrontational, he will go toe to toe to protect the children. He strongly believes that men have a responsibility to help to preserve the innocence of our kids; particularly for the young boys. As a father of a son, Kenny is aware of the importance of allowing children to be children, and to grow up under the protection of those who care for them. He has shown his commitment to this cause by partnering with various non-profit organizations who have a mission of protecting and preserving childhood.

As with many love song singers, Kenny has been expected to play up his sexuality in his style and music, something he refuses to give in to. He instead, chooses to communicate messages of love, understanding and finding balance. In a society that enjoys sensationalism and hype, we at the L.Y.T.E. (Live Your Truth Experience) applaud his commitment to staying true to himself, even when it’s inconvenient.

I wanted to “Find A Way” “For You”, my EUR Web readers, to be on the level. . . .about life. . . .with Kenny Lattimore.

Kenny’s new single “Find A Way”, from his upcoming Back 2 Cool album, was released earlier this year and continues climb the charts. Look for Kenny in a city near you and visit his website at www.kennylattimore.com.

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